Movie review: Extravagant spectacle in 'Cirque du Soleil Worlds Apart'

For those who have not had the chance to experience a Cirque Du Soleil performance live, “Worlds Apart” offers moviegoers what would appear, on the surface, to be the next best thing.

 

The film opens with a young woman, Mia (Erica Linz), visiting a traveling carnival/circus, complete with the bearded lady, sword swallower, and obnoxious barker that such a setting would imply. While the notion that this sort of attraction only ever seems to pop up in stories as counterpoint (to the fantasy that follows) may be somewhat cliché, it is more than appropriate here, given the three-ring origins of the Cirque shows. 

 

As Mia makes her way along the carnival grounds, numerous flyers (and the aforementioned obnoxious barker) invite her to take in a performance of a trapeze artist (Igor Zaripov) whose nom de guerre, “the Aerialist,” proves irresistible to the young lady. True enough, from the moment the Aerialist launches into his routine, Mia is captivated. When the show takes a turn for the supernatural, Mia, the Aerialist, and, by extension, us, embark on a trip through the fantastical worlds implied by the film's title.

 

“Worlds Apart” is not a film in the traditional sense, nor is it a concert-style presentation in the vein of past Cirque Du Soleil video releases. As the first theatrically-released offering from Cirque, as directed by Andrew Adamson (“Shrek,” “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe”), the film is a cost-effective way of taking in the best of Cirque Du Soleil's recent offerings, albeit one that opens with an ostensible narrative.  

 

Strung together by Mia’s quest to reunite with her Aerialist, “Worlds Apart” serves as a “greatest hits” compilation of the (then-current) Cirque shows touring in 2011, specifically, “O,” “Mystère,” “Kà,” and “Zumanity,” as well as their shows inspired by the works of notable entertainers, namely, “The Beatles: Love,” “Viva Elvis,” and “Criss Angel: Believe.”

 

With one astonishing set piece after another, you'll barely have time to catch a breath, much less notice that the threadbare story is abandoned once wide-eyed innocent Mia sets foot in the magical realm of Cirque. Indeed, the narrative, such as it is, is never actually resolved in a manner that makes sense, reducing “Worlds Apart’s” small-town carnival opening to the status of “Chapter-Most-Likely-To-Be-Skipped” once the film hits home video.   Thankfully, it is the non-CGI assisted production design and aerial performances here that justify the enterprise, and, on this front, “World’s Apart” literally and figuratively soars. While nothing beats taking in a live show, the high definition 3D (consulted on by producer James Cameron) does its best to transplant the sensation of witnessing these amazing acts of acrobatic and athletic skill to the cinema. 

 

On a visual and production level, the film is beyond reproach. As Mia stumbles from one landscape or stage to the next, the visual tone and pace of the film change accordingly. From the water-based virtuosities of “O” to a high-energy superhero-themed trampoline act from “Viva Elvis” and a psychedelic dream world set to a Lennon and McCartney medley from “The Beatles: Love,” “Worlds Apart” is a marvel to behold.

 

As a cost-effective alternative to flying to Las Vegas and paying to see seven shows individually, “Cirque Du Soleil: Worlds Apart” is well worth the price of admission, and then some. The use of three dimensions notwithstanding, the disconnect between audience and live show is one that has yet to be surmounted by any amount of technical wizardry. However, once you've seen “Worlds Apart”, and the end credits play on top of the final curtain call, don't be surprised if you find yourself giving it a standing ovation. —KG, GMA News

 

Mikhail Lecaros is a professional magazine editor and freelance writer. The views expressed in this article are solely his own.